Palace View suited for Tapeta

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Palace View has been working like he’s ready to roll off the bench in time for Sunday’s seventh race at Woodbine. From the outside post 9 under Sahin Civaci, he should be dangerous in the seven-furlong Tapeta sprint, which combines nonwinners-of-two allowance types with $50,000 3-year-olds.

Trained by Mark Casse for Team Valor International and Gary Barber, Palace View’s overall form is solid if you concentrate on his synthetic races. The Irish-bred ran twice on synthetics last September at 2, finishing third at 100-1 in a seven-furlong allowance at Kempton before graduating as the favorite over a mile at Chelmsford. He earned a 70 Timeform Rating in both races.

Palace View wasn’t up to snuff in two allowance routes on the grass over the winter at Gulfstream. In his local debut on the Tapeta on May 6, he finished a close third behind the good Cool Kiss before getting demoted to sixth by disqualification for causing interference in the seven-furlong sprint.

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Palace View went to the sidelines after another dull effort on turf here May 28. The gelding has worked a quick half-mile twice since his bullet five-eighths breeze in 59.60 seconds on Nov. 2. Going back five years, Casse had a 20 percent strike rate with six-month-plus layoff runners on Tapeta at Woodbine, with a return on investment of $1.88.

Causin’ Mayhem and Souped Up are other possibilities in the seventh. Causin’ Mayhem closed for second in two of his last three outings, and Souped Up is turning back off a third in the 1 1/16-mile Lake Ontario Stakes for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds.

◗ Reload’s Rascal and Hallie’s Hero could both make their presence known in Sunday’s eighth race going three-quarters for first-level allowance stock and $32,000 claimers.

Reload’s Rascal had an eventful trip beating Ontario-sired allowance opposition in his second try for trainer Nigel Burke on Oct. 28. After missing the break, he trailed a seven-horse field on the backstretch before mounting a wide rally to prevail by a head.

Reload’s Rascal worked competitively with his stakes-winning stablemate Rockcrest on Nov. 11, covering five-eighths in 59.80. He sizzled the same distance in a bullet 58.00 last Sunday.

Hallie’s Hero had a three-wide trip over an inside-favoring track when second to City Mischief at this level Nov. 12. The venerable 8-year-old has won three times this year, including two tallies for his current trainer Marty Drexler.

◗ Devil’s Bit and Luz de La Luna are the 124-pound co-highweights in Sunday’s $55,000 Scarlet Handicap. The seven-furlong starter is limited to fillies and mares who competed for no more than $25,000 claiming in 2022-23 while starting at least four times at the current meet.

Coming off a very wide seventh in the Grade 3 Ontario Matron, Devil’s Bit should be favored with Ryan Munger riding for trainer Roger Attfield. She won two of her first three starts at the meet in allowance company, races that sandwiched a fourth behind Fev Rover, Moira, and Millie Girl in the Grade 2 Nassau.

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